Embodiments herein include a media conditioning module for being connected between a media source supplying sheets of media and a printing device. The media conditioning module is adapted to remove moisture from the sheets of media received from the media source before the sheets of media are supplied to the printing device.
In one embodiment, the media conditioning module comprises a heater and a cooler. The heater can have manifolds (ducts) positioned to supply heated air to both sides of the sheets of media as the sheets of media pass through the media conditioning module. The cooler comprises fans and is positioned to supply non-heated air to, or remove air and moisture from, one or both sides of the sheets (and the region surrounding the sheets of media) as the media sheets pass through the media conditioning module. The heater is positioned with respect to the cooler such that the sheets of media pass by the heater before the sheets of media pass by the cooler.
The heated air has a higher temperature than the non-heated air. In addition, the media conditioning module includes a media path comprising nip rollers and baffles. However, the media path does not block the heated air and instead the baffles include openings adjacent the heater such that the heater is allowed to blow the heated air directly on the sheets of media as the sheets of media pass along the media path. The cooler and the heater can comprise heating and cooling ducts. The heating ducts are connected to any conventional thermal heating device. Further, the cooler also can comprise manifolds (ducts) positioned to supply non-heated air to both sides of the sheets of media as the sheets of media pass through the media conditioning module. The fans can be reversed to allow the cooler to remove the air and moisture from the sheets and the region surrounding the sheets.
In a different embodiment, the media path comprises baffles and the heater is connected to the baffles and positioned to supply heated air to both sides of the sheets of media as the sheets of media pass through the media conditioning module. The baffles include openings adjacent the heater such that the heater blows the heated air directly on the sheets of media as the sheets of media pass along the media path.
These and other features are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description.